It will interest you to know that the whole process of catfish farming can be summarized into three activities of six basic stages. These stages explain in brief all you need to know about catfish farming business. Probably you have read manuals running into hundreds of pages on catfish farming. Don’t worry; this write-up will be the simplest and most precise manual on catfish farming. Below are all you need to know and do to be successful in catfish farming business.
Pre-Catfish Farming Activity
Step 1:
Step 1 falls under pre-farming activity. Under this stage, your interest in the business (catfish farming) is important. Your interest will help you to acquire all knowledge you need to have. As you are reading this article, you begin to access knowledge on catfish farming. As a matter of fact, there are many platforms through which you can gain knowledge of catfish farming: you can learn firsthand through practicing catfish farmers or through genuine information that can be accessed through online platforms like ProfitableFishFarming.com where you learn and ask questions as well as receive answers to questions bothering your mind.
Step 2:
This step also falls under pre-farming catfish activity. Step 2 explains the means and process of obtaining capital needed for your business. The volume of capital needed depends on the scale of your proposed farm. The bigger the scale, the bigger the capital needed. In one of my previous articles, I discussed extensively nine various sources of capital available for catfish farmers in Nigeria. Choose any of the sources mentioned as applicable to you and begin the real farming activities of this business.
I always suggest to my students to always start small and expand as they get better understanding of catfish farming. It would not be a bad idea to start from your backyard container in order to obtain basis of catfish farming through practice. The knowledge obtained can now be transferred to real catfish farming. So, keep your money and learn how to profit through it.
Catfish Farming Activity
Step 3: After obtaining a sure source of finance to commence your catfish business, the next stage is to acquire space for your farm. The space needed can be leased or bought out-rightly depending on the available capital. The kind of space needed is the one with tangible source of water (borehole, stream, river, etc). Whether earthen, concrete, containers, or synthetic rubber ponds, water is needed on a regular basis. I often advise a beginner to start by leasing/renting ponds, after which you can invest on your own land.
Also under this stage falls pond preparation. Some earthen ponds may need some sort of demudding, fixing of pipes, liming, netting, etc. On your concrete ponds too, you might need to correct some cracks on the wall. These preparations will make your ponds ready for stocking.
Step 4:
Your success or otherwise in this business is further established under this stage. Good source of fingerlings/juvenile is everything under this stage. Ensure you investigate well before you settle for any seed because the quality of your seed determine to a large extent how successful you will be in this farming business. I can only recommend two or three places where juveniles can be acquired or obtained. Stock your fishes and watch them grow.
Step 5:
Step 5 still falls under production stage. At this stage farmer chooses from a wide variety of alternative feeds available to feed their fishes. There are numbers of imported and locally made floating feed in Nigerian market of today that you can choose from. I will only recommend one or two feeds for your fishes based on my years of experience in this business.
If you like, you can introduce locally pelletized fish feed to your fishes between ages 6 to 8 weeks. Whatever feed you use, don’t ever attempt to compromise quality. Feeding in catfish is garbage in garbage out.
There are other alternative feeds that you can use to complement your pellets. Read my article on supplementary feeds in catfish for further clarification.
Finally, feed your fishes once or twice a day based on the peculiarity of your farm. Make sure you stop feeding when you discover uncontrolled mortality on your ponds. Fishes mature between four to seven months depending on your target market.
Post-Production Activities
Step 6:
This is the final stage of catfish farming activities. Table sized fishes produced are sold in the appropriate market. The choice of market depends largely on sizes produced and scale of production. Market in this context refers to local, regional, national and international markets.
At times, getting market for your catfishes could be the most difficult aspect of this business. It’s sometimes frustrating to start looking for buyers when your fishes are ready for sale. For this reason, I always encourage farmers to have markets in mind at the stage of production. Your production size should meet the demand of majority in the market. I am currently working on the list of catfish buyers
chichi
please i need yr phone number.
Eniola Abiodun
I have sent it to your mail. Thanks
Emma
This is very informative. Pls what kind of service do you provide for cat fish farmers? Please send me your phone number.
ADEBOSIN AYODEJI
thanks so much. i need your phone number sir
Olanrewaju Josephine Ajike
Thank you so much for this information. My name is Olanrewaju josephine Ajike, Please I will like to have your number.
Simisola Fehintola
Thank you for this information. Pls can I ‘ve ur number sir. My email address is fehintolasimi@gmail.com
Simisola Fehintola
Thank you for this information. Pls can I ‘ve ur number sir.
david oduntan
l love ur article, pls keep it up
Eniola Abiodun
OK! Thanks.
Uyinmwen
I wants to start small with 2 catfish please sir what kind of feed should I give
Eniola Abiodun
Any floating feed.
Isaac Olaleye
Thank You For This Educative Information.Pleace Can You Give Me Your Phone Number.
Eniola Abiodun
ennyreign@gmail.com……I can only send my number to your personal mail.
Temiloluwa
Well-done. Please where are the recommended places for good fingerling and juveniles ?
Eniola Abiodun
I still need advert from reputable catfish hatchery.
pat
I need your phone number please!
Abdulrahman Sadiq
Thanks for the great info, please can I have your number??
Wiekus Ras
I have read your article on supplementary and other feed/food that is good for your catfish.I have a small abbatoir for i have a gamefarm and have all the ingrediants for a good foodscource for catfish-do you have more information about the actial pilling/foodmaking plant to produce good nutricias food for catfish.What is the most afordable/best working size of pond to start catfish farming(lenght,width and depth) and the amount of fingerlings you can stock in pond.Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us,you wil reap the seed for that.Regards
Mubarak 'Dolapo Yusuff
Your articles are much encouraging. Please, never stop the good work. Thanks.
Mike
Thanks for this information…my question is how do one get rid of waste/used water from a pond especially if there’s no dam or drainage close to one’s farm.
SOURABH
sir,
i want to ask you that our catfishes are dying fastly so please can you tell me what medicines or other treatment should we gave to our catfishes so it will not die because daily 100 to 150 catfishes are dying . They are 10 inches long and their weight is upto 300g. And sir can you give me your email address so i can ask about more .
Thankyou
Seyi
I love catfish farming,I thanks for your advice
Seyi
Your phone now please
Okoli Mabel
Quite educative.
Collins
Thank you sir for the information in general. I am a farmer of catfish. But i still need mentors like you to work with. Your contact as regards phone number will be great. Thanks once more!
Okedele Ayodeji
Thanks for this educative information